Just this summer, NYC favorites like Baar Baar, Szechuan Mountain House, Levain Bakery and Dante Beverly Hills have all opened L.A. outposts. They join the ranks of already transplanted spots such as Employees Only, Death & Co. and Roberta’s.

In addition to New York institutions expanding westward, a wave of restaurants that take inspiration from the City of Dreams have washed ashore, with openings like Linden in Hollywood from former New York chef Jon Harris. Linden’s entire menu is a love letter to the Jewish and Caribbean foods found along his native Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn. Donna’s, a new Echo Park red-sauce Italian spot, offers a heaping dose of ’60s East Coast nostalgia with eggplant-strewn wallpaper, checkered floors and giant meatballs. Nearby, Bodega Park draws inspiration from NYC’s corner-store sandwich shops to create a unique all-day cafe concept.

If Angelenos were ever in their feelings about anything East Coast, these days it’s nothing but a love fest: a happy cross-pollination of culinary cultures, exemplified through The Times’ annual Coast to Coast event, when esteemed chefs from both cities gather to show off exclusive bites and special collaborations. Between newly transplanted restaurants and East Coast-inspired upstarts, here are our favorite ways to visit NYC without booking a flight.